To the west of Yizhou City, Zhang Xiaobao came out from the west gate and guessed where Liu Feng was going. To the west of Yizhou are two big rivers, which is a very important section of the Yangtze River.
In addition to the two rivers, there are mountains, one next to the other, with many ravines and other small rivers, even small lakes in between.
The west of the city is not the most important traffic road in Yizhou, the most important is in the north and south, but nowadays, some people take the road to the west because it is close.
It turns out that the road is all small, even if you don’t walk for a few days, you can’t see any traces of people walking on it. At the same time, there are a lot of snakes and insects. Sometimes a few wolves appear to cooperate, making you want to take a closer look. People on the road know that this road is difficult.
Now it is relatively easy to walk, there has never been a cement road, let alone an asphalt road.
Of course, the living standards and quality of people living in a country depend on the level of science and technology of the country and the development of agriculture and animal husbandry.
When the three increase at the same time, handicrafts and commerce will inevitably prosper, and people have higher requirements for the variety and quality of commodities, which are directly reflected in commodity prices.
Therefore, the first thing people who have the conditions think of is to transport good things from other places to sell, make money, and then buy the living supplies and the relatively luxurious things that they like.
As a result, the caravan naturally expanded from its original size, and the number also increased.
As a very important state capital in Datang, Yizhou Prefecture will inevitably closely follow the capital in terms of life.
The local people found that going out from the west of the city, then crossing the mountains and "wading" across the rivers, they could be exchanged from further west to be valuable things in Yizhou.
On the way, you can even hunt, gather herbs and wild vegetables.
It is passive to say that people walk more, but working people will become passive when they are driven by the possibility of improving their living standards.
There is a mountain ahead. It is simple. Use a saw and an axe to put down the trees. Use a pickaxe and a spade to level the road. There are stones in the nearby places.
Even if there is a river, it is easy to handle. If you don't want to buy or can't afford the iron rope, you can use bamboo fibers to make bamboo ropes, connect them to the two banks, and cover them with wooden boards.
Once everything is ready, you can go on the road.
In fact, the most important thing is the current stability of Datang. From Yizhou Prefecture to the west, it will go to Tubo. In the past, no one was willing to work hard to build roads, unless it was tired of living.
Now there is no need to be afraid of the Tubo people bullying themselves. Tubo has become a part of Datang. In the past, various transactions were conducted, and there was no need to worry about being harmed by the locals.
Zhang Xiaobao immediately felt the enthusiasm of the working people when the country had a strong army to protect them.
The road to the west of Yizhou is a dirt road, but there are a lot of people coming and going. There are wheelbarrows, donkeys and mules, and some people simply carry a stick on their hands and carry them on their own.
Zhang Xiaobao, who deeply understands the relationship between stability and economic development, understands the thoughts in the minds of travellers, and a kind of unclear pride fills his mind. These have his own great credit.
Without the record of his own wife, and without his own final tricks, Tubo will not succumb. It has nothing to do with ordinary Tubo people. It is the ruling class that does not want to lose its independent dominance.
Although many of the passers-by in front of them have a look of wind and dust, they have no hesitation in their eyes. When they show them a way, they also light up a lamp in their hearts, and this is the joy of helping others.
When Zhang Xiaobao was thinking about it right away, he hit a caravan in front. The other party must have a good time. They arrived in Yizhou in the morning and had a rest. They were ready to ship in the afternoon. In the evening, invite the local merchants to have a meal. If the speed is fast enough, the goods will be sold out one day tomorrow, and then rest for the night, buy the goods the next day and form a caravan to rush back.
The reason for this is that there are no man-made risks on the road, and there is no need to walk back and forth like the previous caravan, like a desperate life, always worrying about being attacked by others. Some are bandits, some are walking with them, and some are near the road. People.
Who dares to do it now? Unless you are tired of life and can't think of how to die, so attack the caravan in your own country. Once the action is taken, regardless of success or failure, when the caravan escapes, or the traces are found by later people, the Datang army will be dispatched, and it will not be a local government officer at all.
Then you can bring a group of people to pray and flee, provided that you can identify the army dogs, goshawks, and any traces that the tracker can't catch you. Also make sure that your insiders will not be tempted by high rewards and impunity conditions.
In other words, if you attack a caravan with your hands and earn one thousand guan, everyone has one point, and each person has dozens of guan. After being discovered, the court will offer a reward of ten thousand guan, and avoid the crime of the person who reported it, do you think Will the subordinates be able to stand it
Zhang Xiaobao felt the security of the other side when he immediately met with the caravan. The organized team was obviously not very tired. Everyone was talking and laughing. Everyone on the side of the road felt like a relative.
Smiling and nodding to four people in a row, Zhang Xiaobao thought for a while that he was discovered by others, but later he figured it out. As long as you look at him, he nodded with everyone. It is estimated that he belongs to the public relations staff of the caravan.
"Pay attention to the brother in front. Don't shave the one riding a horse." Zhang Xiaobao was experiencing a good mood when a shout came from behind him.
Slightly sideways, Zhang Xiaobao turned his head to look. A caravan of more than 100 people, 20 cars, and many mules rushed over. A big flag was raised in the caravan, saying that the flag was inaccurate. It was There are two poles, and a piece of cloth is directly supported in the middle. The advantage is that others can see the marks on the flag without the wind blowing. The disadvantage is that the resistance increases after the wind is strong.
This banner is very interesting. At the top is a row of slightly smaller "Datang", which seems to be afraid that others will not know that the caravan comes from Datang.
The first impression that Zhang Xiaobao gave to Zhang Xiaobao was that the other party was going to go abroad to do international trade, but they wrote the word "Datang". After going abroad, can people recognize it
Below a row of Tang characters is a cartoon character. Zhang Xiaobao guessed it and guessed it to be sure it was a fan character. You said that you have so many gestures, and you still write it as a cartoon. It is really tormenting. Nowadays, the popular cartoon is Bar
Because there are no walkers, the team is very fast. Regardless of the number of people, it demonstrates the strong financial strength of the caravan.
Zhang Xiaobao's horse speed is not as fast as the caravan's speed, so he will naturally be overtaken by others.
But Zhang Xiaobao was very puzzled, and felt that he had become stupid for a while, very stupid and stupid. On the road to the west of Yizhou, cattle and people can be used, but how can the carriage go? Is there any special method? It's evil.
With infinite curiosity, Zhang Xiaobao hid to the side of the road, and when the other party brushed, he asked: "Hey, I said, are you going to Tianzhu? It's India."
No way, who gave him the impression that the other party was doing international trade. This trip to the west must be India, just like the place where the monks went before, but the road is different.
Someone in the team slowed down, looked at the questioner a few times, and replied with a smile: "Where to go to India? India is too far, and the food in the team was not enough for us in the past trip."
Zhang Xiaobao felt that he was right. The horse-drawn carriage can climb the mountain. Why are you afraid of going to India? Since the other party answered no, he had to continue to ask: "But go to Tubo?"
"Where are you going to Tubo? Have you ever seen a horse-drawn carriage going directly to the west?" The other party asked back.
Nodding, Zhang Xiaobao: "I mean the same thing, then you guys..."
"Turn over a few hills, and you will be dozens of miles ahead." The other party said.
Zhang Xiaobao felt that his thinking ability had deteriorated. He formed a caravan to go to a place dozens of miles ahead and walked this way. What does it mean
Seeing that the other party wanted to speed up to keep up, Zhang Xiaobao had an idea, took out a bun from his arms and handed it over. When meeting for the first time, it is better to have a courtesy. In fact, if there is a cigar, one is reluctant to give it, and the other may not know how to smoke it.
When the other party saw a passerby who was asking about something, his expression changed, and he was very surprised. After thinking about it, he still received it. He didn't believe that this person would be poisoned.
He was also polite, took a bite in front of Zhang Xiaobao, then nodded fiercely: "Okay, good stuff, good buns, stuffed with beef and green onions, your buns are fragrant and don't have a slight bitter taste, what's the matter?"
It’s good to be able to keep the other party for a while. Zhang Xiaobao doesn’t care what topic he is talking about. He smiles and says: “Others eat beef, but generally can’t eat fresh. The so-called taste is a bit bad, and some are focusing on seasoning now. The purpose of the seasoning is to remove the fishy taint, but if you put too much, it will be bitter. The ingredients of the seasoning are one animal, one plant, and one mineral."
"Yes, yes, you are too right, do you know what seasonings should be put in the filling if you make wontons?" The other side bite, reluctant to eat too fast.
The buns have thin skins, large fillings, and good materials. Excluding the labor cost of Zhang Xiaobao’s hands, they only cost five liters. They are sold in the Shuiyunjian restaurant. If you don’t have sixty liters, don’t even think about it, so in People who eat between Shuiyun generally don't waste it, it's too expensive.
Of course, compared with Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan’s old-style dumplings and Goubuli steamed buns at the time, the steamed buns for a few hundred yuan are several times more than the current Shuiyunjian steamed buns, unless Shuiyunjian uses seafood ingredients or Mountain treasures.
Seeing that Zhang Xiaobao was happy about the food, he passed a steamed bun and took it out by himself. He hadn't eaten yet in the morning.
"Thank you brother, it's delicious, hurry up and eat while walking." The man was not polite, took the bun and threw the leftover spot directly into his mouth, urging.
Zhang Xiaobao held the bun in his mouth and nodded, urging the horse to speed up.
After the two wiped out all the buns Zhang Xiaobao had brought, they talked about the wonton again.
With regard to eating, Zhang Xiaobao can say that he knows a little and is very humble.
Seeing the other party staring at the wontons and asking, "It depends on what you are after? Is it fragrant or fresh? What level of people are your customers? How much do you want to sell for a bowl, whether the filling is vegan or pure meat, or Match.
From the selection of the ingredients to the preparation of the filling, the blending of the soup, the taste of the soup base, and the auxiliary dipping ingredients, there must be a detailed arrangement, otherwise it is hard to say.
If you really want to say it all, it is estimated that you can't finish it last day. There are thousands of combinations of various aspects. Of course, people who don't specialize in this bite can't taste the nuances. Which one do you want to ask? "
In the spirit of helping others, Zhang Xiaobao said very truthfully, but the other party opened his eyes wide and nodded from time to time.
When Zhang Xiaobao finished speaking, the man was surprised and exclaimed: "I met an expert, brother, are you a cook? Absolutely, where do you work?"
"Hobbies, hobbies, I haven't thought about becoming a full-time job for the time being. In fact, my true identity is an official in a merchant who dumps goods." Zhang Xiaobao was afraid that the other party would pester him to become a professional cook, so he explained.
This person was even more confused after hearing this, and his career was chaotic. Thinking about it, he felt very reasonable, so he said: "Okay, sure enough, a businessman who can't do a good cook is definitely not a good official."
"Thank you." Zhang Xiaobao smiled.
"Brothers tell the truth, the best stuffing for the wontons we make is lamb stuffing, not much, lamb is expensive, usually pork with vegetables, such as pork celery, eggs and leeks, as well as cabbage and loofah, cucumber and seaweed. Rice is also available, but it’s small. Haimi is expensive. The soup is just soup. The water used to cook wontons is filled with sesame oil, green onion, and salt."
This person chose to believe in Zhang Xiaobao, thinking that the other party could give himself a better idea.
Zhang Xiaobao listened carefully, and said after listening: "In this way, I will teach you a simple method, it is not too much trouble, and I guarantee that your wonton will sell well."
At this point, Zhang Xiaobao paused and gave the other party a time to listen carefully.
"Needless to say about the stuffing, you can't pay the cost for the stuffing I said. The seller can't afford it, so they say the soup. You must use chicken broth. Under the soup, you should use the seaweed ingredients, but you don’t need it. If you start, then put the sea rice used in the filling, if you have coriander, also put some.
Then prepare the vinegar and soy sauce, and some pepper, chili... You don’t have any chili, so don’t prepare it. You need to prepare garlic mash. That’s it. You can do it accordingly. You can’t pay more. If you think chicken soup is expensive, pork bones Soup too. "
Zhang Xiaobao came up with a very common recipe, which was the case when he first made it for his family, except that he put seaweed.
After hearing this, the other party nodded, "So simple?"
"Simple? Yes, simple. Everything is simple. Do you know what the first level of the Shuiyunjian chef assessment is?" Zhang Xiaobao was taken aback, and immediately followed the other party's words.
"What?" This person obviously didn't know how the chefs of a restaurant as big as Shuiyunjian took the exam.
"Three dishes, one scrambled eggs, one roasted eggplant, one cold cucumber shreds." Zhang Xiaobao stretched out three fingers.
The other party obviously didn't believe it, Shuiyunjian, what a reputation, the first level of the assessment was only these three dishes, it was impossible: "Impossible." He said.
"Does it think it's simple? The first method requires scrambled eggs, which requires beaten eggs into the pot, ready to go in and out, cooked but not burnt, tender but not sticky." Zhang Xiaobao introduced.
"Don't pour the eggs into the frying pan?" The other party was surprised again.
"Maybe it is the assessment of Shuiyunjian? Because it is simple, you can see the basic skills, and the basic skills are not strong. Even if you play a kitchen knife, don't want Shuiyunjian. The simpler things will test people. The more common things, the more attention to detail.
If you don’t believe me, I will make you a bowl of wontons when I get the chance. You take the ingredients, the same ingredients, I roll out the skins, make the fillings, and make the soups to see if they taste the same. Fast food, but my Chinese diet is about spirituality.
For example, the bun you just ate contains beef, green onions, and salt in it, and nothing else. The effort is to choose which piece of meat, the part of the green onion, the amount of salt, how much the noodles are fermented, and when you roll the skin. The strength of the hands, the drawer of the steamer, how much water to put in, and what heat to use. "
Zhang Xiaobao said a lot more, mainly because he was able to talk.
The other party has become accustomed to making surprised movements, showing the same expression again, and asking: "Can you elaborate more?"
Zhang Xiaobao shook his head: "No, there is an absolute ratio. Then it becomes fast food again. I have to see the meat and spring onions, and the noodles produced in other places before I can make the preparation. When I make it, someone can watch it next to me, but I can only make it. Recognition is beyond words."
"Understood, it's a pity for a businessman like you to not be a professional cook. Okay, I have written down the wonton recipe you mentioned earlier. When I meet you in the future, I will treat you to it for free. I will go ahead. ."
This person saw the distance with the team fall again, his legs clamped the mule, speeding up.
Zhang Xiaobao waved to him, and after they were far away, he took out his binoculars to look for Shuiyun.
Shui Yun was still spinning slowly in the sky, and below him was Liu Feng's position. Zhang Xiaobao looked at the road and probably guessed that Liu Feng hadn't departed from the main road, and he was not traveling fast on horseback.
Picking up the water bag on the horse and rinsing his mouth, Zhang Xiaobao started thinking about other things again.
From time to time there were people coming from the opposite side on the road, but there was no overtaking team behind him. Obviously, other merchants or teams were different from the previous ones, and they couldn't get up quickly with a lot of cargo.
About two quarters of an hour later, Zhang Xiaobao saw the team that had passed before. The banner was very conspicuous. What made him wonder is that he not only saw the team, but also the target he followed, Liu Feng.
The team stopped, someone was busy there, and Liu Feng followed to help.
Zhang Xiaobao took out a mirror and took a photo with him, confirming that there was a big difference from when he met Liu Feng yesterday, and Fang Cui immediately went forward.
The person who had eaten Zhang Xiaobao's buns and several people in the team were building roads with shovels. Only then did Zhang Xiaobao know what was being pulled on the carriage, and the bag was filled with sand.
There were a few obvious potholes on the road. The people in the team first spread the sand and stones, and then rolled them with stone rollers. Liu Feng held a long iron bar in his hand. There were sharp points under the iron bar. Insert it in the place where the stone roller has rolled to see if the paving is complete.
Seeing the people at work, Zhang Xiaobao couldn't understand whether they were a caravan or a professional road repair team. Could it be that they could also make a profit by pulling sand and stones on the carriage
"Brother, are you here too? Wait a while and do it right away. These pits are so smooth. The most feared thing is that there will be heavy rain. Only a few trips back and forth can transport enough sand and stones."
The person who ate the buns raised their heads, greeted Zhang Xiaobao with a smile, and did not forget to complain about the damage to the road.